McDonald’s switching to cage-free eggs in New Zealand

Restaurant chain to make transition before the end of 2016

Quick service restaurant
chain McDonald's is transitioning into serving eggs from free-range hens at all
164 of its locations in New Zealand by the end of 2016.

The decision was
announced on July 13 but follows the company’s move to cage-free eggs for the McDonald’s
restaurants in Christchurch and Dunedin that occurred in 2009, according to a
report from NZ Herald.

It is estimated that when
the transition is completed, McDonald’s will buy about 9 percent of all
free-range eggs sold in the country. That amounts to about 13 million eggs
annually.

McDonald's New Zealand
managing director Patrick Wilson said the move was in response to consumer
demand via the company’s website.

Wilson added that the restaurant
chain’s suppliers – including Otaika Valley Free Range Eggs and Zeagold Foods
-- are investing in cage-free egg facilities to help meet the demand.

McDonald’s announcement
to switch to cage-free eggs in New Zealand follows a similar decision announced
by the company regarding its restaurants in Australia. Less than one year ago, the
company stated it would serve only eggs from cage-free operations by the end of
2017. In 2010, McDonald’s stopped serving eggs from caged hens at all of the
company’s locations in Europe.